Empowering Women and Families: JRS Greece’s Holistic Path to Integration

Empowering Women and Families: JRS Greece’s Holistic Path to Integration 

In Athens, JRS Greece supports some of the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers—particularly single mothers and survivors of gender-based violence—through an approach that bridges urgent needs and long-term socio-economic inclusion. As part of the Livelihoods Project, supported by the Linsi Foundation, JRS Greece empowers forcibly displaced people to build stable futures through language instruction, soft-skills development, psychosocial support, and daily life essentials. 

Despite operating in a complex legal and bureaucratic landscape, staff emphasize how JRS Greece fosters a strong, community-centered environment that bolsters participant confidence and resilience. Through its programming, JRS Greece not only addresses immediate challenges—such as housing, childcare, and basic necessities—but also equips individuals with the tools and confidence to pursue employment and long-term inclusion. 

Two core programs anchor JRS Greece’s livelihoods work: 

• The Women’s Day Center supports at-risk women—often heads of households—with informal education, psychosocial care, and flexible sessions that accommodate childcare responsibilities. 

• The Magistories Program offers adult learning, Greek and English language classes, CV-writing guidance, and employability workshops tailored to local labor market realities. 

Participants begin with language assessments and continue with individualized or group support, depending on their learning needs. Some go on to find entry-level work in hospitality, cleaning, or tourism, while others continue skill-building through digital literacy and administrative support workshops. 

JRS Greece’s model also incorporates aspects of the Graduation Approach, by combining economic empowerment with mental health and psychosocial services (MHPSS). However, gaps persist—limited childcare, bureaucratic delays, short-term Greek instruction, and scarce private-sector alliances continue to hinder participants’ access to formal employment and long-term stability. 

Participants, mostly aged 25–44, often arrive from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Afghanistan, or Cameroon, typically via Turkey. Many are single mothers with no or partial secondary education, juggling informal work and childcare. JRS supports them through access to laundry, food baskets, clothing, and other essentials via the Magazi project, in tandem with language training and job-readiness support. 

Collaboration with one local nonprofit has enabled participants to join construction-related online courses, but the initiative lacks cultural adaptation, refugee-specific focus, and consistent employment outcomes. Both organizations acknowledge the need for deeper collaboration and more comprehensive, targeted programming. 

Despite resource constraints, JRS Greece remains a lifeline for displaced individuals. Staff conduct baseline assessments to set realistic learning and employment goals, although advanced monitoring systems remain limited. What sets JRS apart is its consistent, person-centered presence, particularly for women balancing parenting, uncertainty, and legal hurdles. 

A Story of Courage: Angele’s Journey  

Angele Biandu, a 40-year-old refugee from Kinshasa, has spent the last nine years in Greece raising her son, Alexander, while her two other children remain in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A survivor of instability and the pressures of single motherhood, Angele has worked in the unpredictable fish industry while navigating Greek bureaucracy and learning the language. 

Thanks to JRS Greece’s support—including access to essential services and psychosocial support—Angele has not only endured but moved forward with strength and pride. “It hasn’t been easy,” she says, “but I’m proud of how far I’ve come.”
 

JRS Greece’s holistic approach—spanning education, mental health, practical aid, and job readiness—helps displaced individuals reclaim their autonomy and lay the groundwork for a dignified, hopeful future in Greek. Read more about the Livelihood project here: https://jrseurope.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/06/LIVELIHOOD-REPORT-2025-2.pdf.